Life may be a box of chocolates, but after you’ve nibbled enough bonbons, you know which flavor you like best. Over the past four decades, Nancy Edmunds of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, has owned quite a Whitman’s Sampler of purebreds, including Cocker Spaniels, Manchester Terriers, Whippets, Brussels Griffons, Poodles, and Afghan Hounds. But in 1985, she finally came across her forever breed: the Vizsla. After almost 30 years breeding those Hungarian […]

On a sunny morning in Walnut, California, private investigator Stephanie Hart received an urgent phone call. “Can you and your partner go on a stakeout in Tustin, California?” asked the defense attorney. “My client thinks her ex-husband is taking their son to his girlfriend’s house, and if the man’s mother or sister isn’t accompanying them […]

When Maria B. Moya was growing up, she always wanted a dog, but it wasn’t possible where her family lived. Then she got out on her own and moved to Hoboken, New Jersey. In her new town, everyone, it seemed, had a dog. Many of them were the trendy mixed-breeds, known as "Goldendoodles." Moya, who […]

There are times when it makes sense for a breeder to stamp more than just a "thumbprint" of influence on a breed. Dogs are generally thought to have descended from wolves. Kim Campbell Thornton's recent article "Looking Back to the Beginning" (AKC GAZETTE, September 1999) describes research that has determined, through DNA sequences, that the […]

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier owes its name – and arguably its continued existence – to a peripheral character in an 1815 novel.

In 1977, 14-year-old Maris Sienstecker read about a pregnant blue whale dying a slow death on a whaling dock. The story upset the teenager to such an extent that she and her mother resolved to help other marine mammals avoid a similar fate. Together they founded Save the Whales. The Seaside, California organization dedicated its […]

Large and sturdy, Bernese Mountain Dogs are as beautiful as they are affectionate. Berners, as they're also called, live to please their owners. Their intelligence and gentle temperament make them easy to train. But Berners can be sensitive to harsh correction and don't do well with being left alone. That's why it's important to consider specific training […]

With their wagging tails and friendly temperament, the Cocker Spaniel has long been one of the most popular dog breeds. Learn more about this merry breed.

Imagine a picture plucked from a postcard: snowflakes drifting over a country road, Victorian carolers spreading good cheer, and Berners. Everywhere.

A sweet, calm nature, and a soft expression with distinctive markings on the coat and face, contribute to the majestic Bernese Mountain Dog's popularity. But this breed is also a hardworking farm dog, dating back in carting and drafting thousands of years.